Communication!

All the topics listed in the last post were covered at the parent meeting.  One of the main points covered was the need for better communication from all parents and from me.  This blog site has that ability for better communication.  I will be reminding parents that chorus activities will be posted on this blog site.  If they follow the blog site by entering an email address, they will get notifications of all posts and replies to posts.

The deadline for students to submit their activity fees will be September 25, 2015.

ON September 3, the chorus will start its fundraising activities with water selling at the first U of A home game.  We will be selling by the Mansfeld Marquee.  A few parents will be needed to supervise the students while water is being sold.  I will be monitoring the students helping with parking as well as students who are selling.  Additionally, I will also be monitoring the students getting more cold water from the various refrigerators in the school.

If you would like to help out on placing posts, pictures or videos on this site, please contact me (Mr. Levario) at thomas.levario@tusd1.org, or call/ text me at 520-241-9329.

Parent Meeting!!

Dear Parents,

     On this site, there is an option to follow the blog by email on the left side of the page.  Please take advantage of this as you will get a notice by email anytime there is a new post or replies to posts.  It will help keep us all informed!
     I am sorry for the short notice, but these are the topics that will be discussed at a short parent meeting this Thursday, August 20 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  

They are: fundraising for registration fees, sound technicians, piano accompanist, misc. funds for costumes, etc. for the musical in March 2016.  Music educator membership (this is necessary so the students can participate in festivals at the state level.  There will be an additional $100.00 non-member fee attached to each registration fee for each event.  The membership fee is a one time amount of $125.00 which waives all non-membership fees). 

Tax Credit funding:  There are two items that will assist the chorus in getting transportation for trips to festivals and competitions. 

• 1.     Activity Fee-All chorus members should pay an activity fee of $10.00.  This actually allows us to access other tax-credit chorus donations.  If the fee is a financial hardship, PLEASE contact me and I will get the fee covered. 
• 2.     Tax-credit donations-In the same way one would pay the activity fees, one can also donate to tax-credit, monies designated only to the Chorus.  I am asking that every student have a tax credit donation of $50.00.  This will cover the bus fees for the trip to the state capitol and the trip to the competition that is also in the Phoenix area.  To ease the amount needed, one could make a $25.00 donation by November 2015 and another $25.00 by March 2016

Both items (Activity fees and donations) can be paid online from the chorus website.  Look on the left side on the upper left hand corner. (“Give Kids the Extra Credit”)  To designate a donation from an activity fee, one should write in the comment box “Activity Fee.”  If it is a donation, one only needs to designate it to chorus.  Nothing needs to be written in the comment box.  Please contact me if there is a hardship with this as well.

Activities:

1.     September 3-First UofA football game...The chorus would like to sell water for this game, and at least 100 bottles to various wildcat fans.  For this we need some students to sell and some to replenish the water when we get low...I will be supplying the first 100 bottles of water, but if we could get donations, that would be a great start!  We also would like to assist in the PTSO parking for that evening as well.  We are currently working on learning all the lyrics to "Bear Down" and "Fight Wildcats Fight."

• 2.     TUSD choral motivational festival in late October/ early November.  This is normally a free “gig” with the only cost for students being lunch and SunTran bus fares.  With bus strike, this may be a problem. (Need for chaperones)
• 3.     Fall Concert November 5-Small fundraising opportunity?
• 4.     Trip to State Capitol to sing Holiday music in Lobby. (Need for chaperones)
• 5.     December 8 instrumental/choral winter concert-(Fundraising opportunity?)
• 6.     Sing at the Tucson International Airport (December 15-voluntary)
• 7.     March-Musical “The Music Man” (Fundraising Opportunity?)
• 8.     April 2, 2016 Elem/Jr. High Choral Festival. (Need for chaperones)
• 9.     April 21, 2016 Mansfeld Spring Concert-(Fundraising opportunity?)
• 10. May 5, 2016 TUSD Motivational Festival at Palo Verde High School (SunTran-hopefully… Need for chaperones)
• 11. May 12, 2016 Mansfeld “POPS” concert. (Fundraising Opportunity?)

Anytime there is a fundraising opportunity, we will need parents to help supervise or to sell items.  Many times it would be when the students are performing, so it may be a good idea to establish “selling times” and when to “shut down” so all parents can watch their child perform.

Anytime we leave the campus of Mansfeld, we would need some parent chaperones to accompany on the bus.  The district ratio of adult to students grades 6-8 should be 1 adult to every 20.  I would like to have at least 2 additional parents accompany on field trips, but I would also welcome more!  Usually the coaches we charter for our trips to Phoenix hold around 50 people and our chorus is about 36 students.  The left over seats can be for more parents to accompany us on our trip!  Something to think about…

I am sure that there will be many ideas and questions.  Communication is key, not just with me but with other parents as well.  Please consider following this blogsite by supplying your email, or adding my phone number (520-241-9329) so that you can text me.